Background: IFDC’s Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) model in Burkina Faso aims at increasing productivity through agricultural intensification. is based on combining locally available amendments with chemical fertilisers. The programme is focused on maize, as there is a high market demand for this crop. However, IFDC experience shows that ISFM is a panacea for soil fertility problems and should not be rigidly applied. It needs to be adapted to local needs and opportunities for intensification. ICRA and IFDC have carried out 2 other joint studies in Togo. All aim at helping IFDC better focus its activities.

Objectives: Analyse the potential for adoption and diffusion of the Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) model in the Centre-South region of Burkina Faso. The perception of local farmers to ISFM will be determined as will the impact of ISFM on soil fertility and of introducing maize into the local farming system. Proposals will be developed to better link the diverse stakeholders involved with the management of soil fertility in the region.

Outputs: The study found that while farmers understood and were willing to try the ISFM model, adoption was low because of problems of access to both credit and fertilisers. It also illustrated that the assumption that increased income would result from increased maize production was false as little maize was marketed. Proposals for improved integration between stakeholders and to improve access to credit are made and should assist in the promotion of the model

Team Members:
Name Nationality Institute Discipline
Hamouda Aichy Tunisia CRDA Tozeur Soil science
Fatoumata Ba Mali IER Niono Sociology
Koffivi Gnakpenou (CP) Togo IFDC Africa Agrionomy
Farid Moulla Algeria INRA Algeria Animal production
Holy Ranaivoarisoa Madagascar Antananarivo University Socio-economy
Abdoulaye Saley Moussa Niger ICRISAT Agronomy

Reviewer: Dr Emmanuel Torquebiau (France), CIRAD, Montpellier

ABSTRACT

In 1999, IFDC-DA in collaboration with agricultural minister of Burkina Faso, launched a project on Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) in the Zoundweogo province. The aim of the project is to "improve agricultural productivity through integrated agricultural intensification based on soil fertility improvement". The package proposed combines raw phosphate, organic matter and mineral fertilizer, to be applied on plants which can generate income to farmers for investment in agricultural input supplies.

This study shows that, even if the package is not complicated for farmers, its scaling-up is difficult because:

The farmers do not sell their products on the market, they have low income, they are not interested in savings and credit systems
The agricultural inputs supplying system is not functional, farmers are always waiting for help and do not invest in the purchase of input
The project did not create a good system of monitoring and evaluation to address the objectives and on-going activities of the project
The farmers' organisations are not dynamic, and engage in social rather than economic activities, they have no control over their functions.

In order to make a large diffusion of the ISFM options, it is necessary:

to develop a very good credit system to stimulate farmers to initiate various activities to generate income; the farmers will buil up guaranty before having access to credit
to develop a good agricultural inputs supply system to make cheap input available near farmers
to train farmers and farmers' organisations leaders in the management of cereals stocks and credit and debt collection

KEY WORDS: Burkina Faso, Zoundweogo, soil fertility, farmers' organisations

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Download the full report in French: Rapport du Burkina (pdf, 1358K)